Melaleuca basicephala | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Myrtaceae |
Genus: | Melaleuca |
Species: | M. basicephala |
Binomial name | |
Melaleuca basicephala | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Myrtoleucodendron basicephalum(Benth.) Kuntze |
Melaleuca basicephala is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a rarely-seen shrub from the dense freshwater swamps of the wet far south-west corner of the state.
Melaleuca basicephala grows to a height of about 0.9 m (40 in) with glabrous branches. The leaves are in alternating opposite pairs (decussate) and are 8–12.5 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long, 1.8–2.5 mm (0.07–0.1 in) wide, oval or tear-drop shaped and glabrous. [2] [3]
The flowers are in heads on the previous year's shoots in groups of two to ten, the heads up to 10 mm (0.4 in) in diameter. The stamens are in five bundles around the flower, each bundle with 17 to 23 pinkish-purple or mauve-pink stamens. Flowering occurs from November to February. The fruits are 3 mm (0.1 in) long. [2] [3]
Melaleuca basicephala was first formally described in 1867 by George Bentham in Flora Australiensis . [4] [5] The specific epithet (basicephala) is from the latinised Greek basis meaning "base" and -cephalus meaning "headed" referring "to the inflorescences usually being at the base of lateral shoots." [3]
This species occurs in dense swamps in the Augusta and Northcliffe districts [2] in the Jarrah Forest and Warren biogeographic regions. [6] It grows in black, peaty sand and clay in winter-wet flats and swamps. [7]
Melaleuca basicephala is classified as "Priority Four" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife [6] meaning that it is rare or near threatened and in need of monitoring. [8]
Melaleuca alsophila, commonly known as the saltwater paperbark, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the north of Western Australia. It is a dense shrub or small tree with fibrous or papery bark and is common in areas seasonally inundated during the wet season.
Melaleuca urceolaris is a low, spreading shrub in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Although it is rare in cultivation, it is an attractive garden plant due to its soft foliage and white flowers which fade to pink or red. It is similar to Melaleuca scabra with which it has often been confused.
Melaleuca undulata, commonly known as hidden honey-myrtle is a shrub in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a spreading, moderately dense, perennial, woody shrub with creamy-white flowers in small clusters.
Melaleuca lecanantha is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area of south-west Western Australia. It is a shrub with small, rather fleshy leaves and pink to lilac-coloured flowers in early spring. The plant was first described in 1867 but the name given to it was considered illegitimate and it was not until 1998 that it was first formally described.
Melaleuca leiopyxis is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to an area near the west coast of Western Australia. It has bright yellow flowers and is very similar to Melaleuca depressa. The ranges of the two species overlap making it difficult to distinguish between them.
Melaleuca bracteosa is a low, spreading shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has tiny, fleshy, non-prickly leaves and cream flowerheads.
Melaleuca densa is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a bushy shrub with profuse cream, yellow or greenish flowers and overlapping leaves on the youngest shoots.
Melaleuca dichroma is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is unusual for its genus in that its flowers are yellow or creamy-white but age to a pinkish-red.
Melaleuca glaberrima is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a dense, spreading shrub with needle shaped, but not sharp leaves and profuse pink or mauve flowers.
Melaleuca acutifolia is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has small, pointed, oval leaves and in summer, heads of white flowers. The species was originally described as a variety of Melaleuca lateriflora but was raised to species status in 2010.
Melaleuca lateriflora, commonly known as gorada, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is usually an erect shrub with oval leaves and small clusters of white flowers mainly along the older branches.
Melaleuca lutea is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. This species was previously known as Melaleuca citrina but was renamed to allow Callistemon citrinus to be moved to the genus Melaleuca. It is distinguished by its oval shaped, dense heads of yellow flowers and bushy foliage.
Melaleuca microphylla is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a bushy shrub with small, crowded leaves and bears a close resemblance to the commonly cultivated Melaleuca ericifolia of the eastern states.
Melaleuca oldfieldii is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is native to the south-west of Western Australia. It is distinguished by its bright yellow flower heads but its distribution is restricted to one national park.
Melaleuca pauciflora is a shrub in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Its decussate leaf arrangement and its small heads of white flowers on the sides of its branches are diagnostic. This is probably the least spectacular of all the melaleucas.
Melaleuca polycephala is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a sparsely foliaged, twiggy shrub with deep purple flowers in spring.
Melaleuca scabra, commonly known as rough honey-myrtle, is a species of shrub that is endemic to a small area on the south coast of Western Australia. It has warty leaves and profuse, pink to purple heads of flowers between July and November.
Melaleuca sclerophylla is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is distinguished by its unusual leaves which are rough, leathery and covered with small, warty lumps and by its many purple heads of flowers in early spring.
Melaleuca teretifolia is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with long, thin leaves and clusters of usually white flowers along considerable lengths of the branches in late spring and summer.
Hibbertia glomerata is a species of flowering plant in the family Dilleniaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a much-branched shrub with mostly oblong or egg-shaped to elliptic leaves and yellow flowers borne on the ends of short side shoots, with nine to twelve stamens, sometimes in groups of three, arranged around the three carpels.